Fastening device



Oct. 27, 1931. y B ANDRE 1,829,432

FASTENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23. 1929 fer' @M www? Patented @et 27, il

Unirse raran'r carica THEODORE BERNARD ANDRE, GF LONDON, ENGrL'ill'Dy EASTENING DEVICE ,Application filed Gctober 23, 19%, Serial No. 401,726, and in Great Britain November 16, 1928.

This invention relates to fastening devices and has for its object toprovide a device which can be quickly released or engaged, is of simple construction and entirely free from rattle when exposed to vibration whether it is in use or not.

jdany attempts have been made to provide a fastening device having the above characteristics, but. hitherto vsuch fastenings, for example cabin or like door hooks and the numerous fastening devices or latches used on vehicles-have been of a relatively complicated nature, involving the use of at least two relatively moving parts in addition to springs, rivets or like members to connect these parts together.

According to this invention the entire fastening member is formed as a single unit of india rubber or elastic material some portions of this material being reinforced or hardened as by vulcanization so as not to'interfere with the elasticity of the fastener as a whole or ith parts of it.

For example, in the case of a hook or like fastening adapted to engage an eye or staple,

the hook portion may be vulcanized hard and the opposite end of the fastener, e. g. that part which is secured to a fixed or movable support may be similarly hardened or reinforced, the intermediate portion being elastic and therefore capable of yielding in any direction and free to be stretched or to contract.

Alternatively, a fastening intended to engage a fixed projection or stud may be provided with a reinforced or vulcanized socket or eye, or if provided with a finger grip or like member this may be similarly reinforced or vulcanized, in all cases the fastening device being in the main formed of rubber or like elastic material and having at least one wholly elastic portion.

A fastening device according to this invention entirely dispenses with the need for separate relatively movable parts, joints, pivots or springs, and as the device is unaifected by moisture and incapable of rattling or permitting rattle to occur, whether it is disengaged or connected, it is particularly applicable for use on vehicles, ships or in like conditions. Further, being elastic and therefore capable of yielding in all directions, it need not be attached to its supporting member with the same degree of accuracy as is necessary in the case of a metal fastening device, and although it may be pivotally connected to its support, in some cases such a pivot is not absolutely necessary. The invention is particularly suitable for use with road vehicles either to secure attachments or accesseries in place or as a substitute for the metal clips or fastenings usually employed to hold the bonnet in place or to replace the straps used to retain the hood or luggage grid in its folded position.

The invention can be' applied to a large class of fastening devices and the constructions illustrated in the accompanying drawings are given merely to illustrate certain typical examples. In these drawings- Figures l, 2 and 3 iliustrate in perspective three alternative forms of clips or fastening v device for the bonnet of motor vehicle,

Figure i is a cross-section on the line lV- lV of Figure 3, and t Figures 5' and 6 show in side elevation and perspective respectively a cabin hook according yto this invention'.

The bonnet clip illustrated in Figure l is formed wholly of rubber and comprises a shank portion A having at its upper end a `socket or' recess A1 to engage a projecting stud on the bonnet, not shown. Below the socket and on the opposite side of the clip is a projecting hook or finger grip A2, and thev whole of the upper end of the clip above the dotted line B-B is hard vulcanized so that the finger grip and the socket portion of the clip are relatively rigid and non-elastic.

The lower end of the shank merges into an enlarged base C which is also hard vulcanized and which may be provided with a metal 'sheath such as C2 which is drilled to receive in tension, the buffer Dis in compression and the socket'A1 engages the stud on the bonnet. If (desired, the socket A:l can be replaced by a projecting hook or finger to engage a staple or the like onthe bonnet and in this case the projecting hook will be hard vulcanized or otherwise reinforced. If the clip is to Ybe opened, the shank is first extended and then c flexed outwards to release the stud and even if it is left unfastenedit will not rattle or Ycause damage to the paintwork ofthe vehicle.

A slightlyV modiiied construction is villustrated in FigureV '2 in which the hook E is furnished with a projection Elon its Vupper surface to'be vengaged by the thumb'of the operator. As before, lthe finger grip andthe rubber surrounding'the lsocket vare hard vulcanized but in'this case insteadof the base being rigidly connected as by. screws to thev chassis or frameworkof the vehicle, a pivotal connectionis provided for the base V.of the hook. L To vthis end, the lower end F ofthe Y .hook is provided with ,a bore hole F2 (which,

ifdesired can be reinforced by a sleeve of metai, fabric, fibre or thelikelto receive 'a ,pivot F1 by which the hookis securedto theV v U-shaped metal or. like member `F3 lof the vehiclev frame. y Y l v inthe further modification shown in Figures Spandrl anaperture is formed in the upperl part-ofthe clip to serve ,as a nger.

grip'instead of this linger grip being in the form of ak projecting finger as the. previous constructions. In other respects the clip is furnishedwith v a ybase similarto thaty 'last described but it will be appreciated that a hard vulcanized base rigidly attached tothe frame asin the :case ofV Figure llnay if .de-

ysired be employed. The recess or. socket A1 isshown as having a metalfeyelet A? ,which Y plied toa cabin hookwhich is l.formed vwholly of india rubber and comprisesa'shank portion J havingrlaterally extending arms J1, a hook portion Jgadapted to engage a staple K .and .v

The Y shankportionJbetweenthe base and the extending V"arms, i. e. y,the I portion which liesy Vbetween thelines'L-Land 'If-L1 retains its an enlarged hard 'vulcanized base J3.

- secure by Letters Patent is v l. A fastening deviceformed Vwholly of india rubber and comprising an elastic shank, a hard vulcanized head portion adapted to engage a sepa-rate complementary member,

anda similarly hardened base'portion.

. 2. Av fastening device such asa bonnetclip for motor vehicles comprising` an elastic shank, a hard vulcanized headportion adapted to' engage a projecting member, a hardened finger gripmoulded Vin Yone with'the shank,

and a similarly hardened-base portion whereby the clip can be mounted onthe vehicle.

3. vA fastening device formedwholly of india rubber and comprising an elastic shank, a lhardened Vengaging portion, a` similarly hardened iinger grip" and a-hardened base shaped. to makefsliding engagement' with a socket v of dovetail cross-section.

. A fastening,deviceuformed'lwholly V.of

findia rubber and comprising an Velastic shank,

a vhardened hook-like engaging portion, a similarly Vhardened linger grip ,formed integral with the shank',randia hardened basev ,shaped t0 enga-ge 12V CQrrespondingly shaped socket,;'` Y

THiioDoRE BERNARDQANDBE.

` can besprung into place. Such an eyelet or ,y Y ferrule may be employed ineither of the construetions previouslyV described. Y

Y Figures 5 and 6 show the invention as apvea-Sti@ pfope'ties butthe'extremities of the "Y A Y hook, nameiythe base J3, the projecting arms Jl andthe hook J2, are hard vulcanized. YThe basev J3 is preferably'of taper shape and of l dovetailcross-section so that can .be made Lto engage acorrespondn'iglyy shapedrmetal or likesocketM lwithout the use ofscrews or the y fany'damage'ifit isfleftu nhooked.V .Y i Vf'fltlwill beunderstoodthat instead ofy rei `inforcingiortougheningcertain parts of the v I i hook or clip `by-'means of, additional lyulcani- Y,

likejpassing through. the vulcanized base. Such a hook is in tension-when it enga-gesy its .Y ,Y V.eye org-staple K and will not rattleorca se 5 if f -ioo -In testimony whereof I'-'have-S1gned my `nametlo this specification. j 

